


Forbidden

by thatnerdemilyj



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Coming Out, Forbidden Love, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-18
Updated: 2019-08-18
Packaged: 2020-09-06 11:04:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20290417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatnerdemilyj/pseuds/thatnerdemilyj
Summary: Andrew had lived his whole life with the word forbidden stamped across everything he wanted.





	Forbidden

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by Anonymous in the [sh_ficletinstruments](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/sh_ficletinstruments) collection. 

> **Prompt:**
> 
> No one can ever, ever find out.

Andrew had lived his whole life with the word  _ forbidden _ stamped across everything he wanted. From a young age, he knew his feelings for men were forbidden. He fell in love with the man who was supposed to be his parabatai. When he entrusted the information to his trainer, he was promptly moved to the New York Institute without so much as a goodbye. 

When he turned fifteen and realized his feelings for Lightwood and Wayland were anything but platonic, he kept it to himself this time. He would lean against the doorway, watching the way the two of them would train. Sweat glistening down their bodies, muscles bulging with every thrust of their blades, their bodies moving in perfect synchrony. He couldn’t mask the way the men had made him feel. 

When he turned eighteen, he told his mother. A simple, “I think I’m gay” burned forever onto paper and before he could change his mind, the fire message was sent. Three days later, she showed up. Her words were harsh, her ignorance harsher. All he heard was  _ forbidden, forbidden, forbidden. _

After that, he threw himself into his work. By twenty-five, Andrew had secured the Head of Security position at the Institute under Alec Lightwood. The Alec Lightwood that he had dreamed about many times in the past. The Alec Lightwood that was now  _ dating _ a man. A warlock, even. Andrew couldn’t help but feel angry. 

_ That  _ was forbidden. Dating a man was forbidden. Dating a downworlder even moreso. But Alec Lightwood didn’t care. If Alec Lightwood, son of Robert and Maryse Lightwood, former circle members and the most judgmental parents of all, didn’t care, _should he_?

When the two men married, it was Andrew’s job to reestablish security measures to allow all invited downworlders into the Institute. As Magnus had been living there temporarily and Simon, the vampire, was welcome whenever he wanted, the security systems recognized them. The others he was told about, a seelie knight, a vampire turned mundane, another warlock, had all needed to be escorted in. He felt their nervousness as each one entered and hoped he didn’t cause it. 

Then he saw the warlock. He couldn’t ignore the irony that the most attractive man he had seen since he moved to New York City being a downworlder. Throughout the ceremony, Andrew could hear his mother’s voice shouting  _ forbidden.  _ He could see the word stamped across the warlocks forehead, pulsing and bolded. The minute the warlock smiled, his mother’s voice and the word disappeared. 

Andrew decided in that moment to throw caution to the wind because nothing that beautiful could ever be forbidden. 

**Author's Note:**

> As always, I appreciate screaming on [Tumblr](https://archeryandeyeliner.tumblr.com/). Please leave kudos if you like it and comment to make me smile.  



End file.
